UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee has not ruled out taking Dwain Chambers to the London Olympics as part of the sprint relay team, should the 33-year-old be successful in overturning a lifetime Olympic ban which has been implemented by the British Olympics Association (BOA).

Four years ago Chambers was unsuccessful in challenging the BOA bylaw that prohibits athletes guilty of serious doping offences from competing at future Games and therefore missed out on Beijing.

However, following the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling earlier this month that US athlete LaShawn Merritt can defend his 400 metres title in London, Chambers may have some light at the end of the tunnel.

Van Commenee said: “At the moment nothing has changed compared to the last few years. If things do change then I’ll make a decision the same day and we’ll look at Dwain’s track record and make a decision when necessary.”

Sotherton, who won bronze in the 2004 heptathlon in Greece said: “This news does not come as a major surprise to me and it is not a setback to my ambitions and I am very grateful for the support that UK Athletics has offered me up until now.

“I still hope to compete at the Olympics next year and, once I am there, I have every confidence of producing a performance that will do myself and the nation proud.”